Page 4 of Chasing the Wild
“Thank you.” I blurt out. Regaining use of my tongue. “You didn’t have to do that.” I twist my purse in my hands.
Gorgeous-cowboy drags a hand through his unruly hair, before putting his hat back on. As he does so, I catch a little glimpse of the lines around his eyes that don’t exactly tell me his age, but they place him somewhere in theoldercategory.
This man certainly isn’t in his twenties, that’s for certain. Possibly his late thirties.
Jesus. My thighs clench as I take him in properly now. He leans a shoulder against the tailgate of his enormous vehicle.
“No sense arguing with Kurt over a tank of gas. He’ll take any opportunity to make up for having a small dick.”
Something between a cough and a laugh bursts out of me. I was not expecting that the third thing to come out of this man’s mouth would include the word dick.
But I’m certainly not mad about it.
“It was very small dick energy, wasn’t it.” I roll my lips together. Immediately my slutty brain makes a comment about how this man is the complete opposite of that. Big dick energy radiates off him like the sun.
Something about my response seems to please him. I don’t hate the way that makes me feel, like I would enjoy finding ways to please this rugged man.
“Even so, thank you, that was very gallant what you did in there.”
He narrows his eyes on me. “Gallant?”
“Uhh, you know…” I’m stuttering under his intensity. “Like, chivalrous.”
“Sounds like you’re calling me old. Or old fashioned.”
My mouth opens and closes a couple of times, thinking I’ve offended him somehow, but then I spot the crinkles at the corners of his eyes.
He’s teasing me.
Dear sweet Jesus. This man is hiding a sense of humor underneath that gruff exterior.
This isn’t fair.
“Let’s just say that girls like me don’t happen to come across men like you very often. I mean, especially not men offering to pay for a whole tank of gas out of the blue.” I gesture between the two of us.
He fixes me with a hard look. One that leaves me swallowing down a lump in my throat.
“You’re hanging around the wrong men in that case.”
Somehow, I feel like he just told me off and turned me on in the same breath.
“Don’t I know it.” I offer a small smile. My mind wanders briefly to the boxes in my back seat and Kayce while I shudder a little on the inside, considering the current mess I’ve foundmyself in. All because of his useless ass. The exact type ofwrong man.
I want to ask what his name is, but something tells me that’s not wise. What do I need to go asking this man’s name for? It’s not like I’m ever going to see him again.Unless… unless what? I could always offer to pay him back for the fuel. But even then, to what end would that be. I’ve still got nearly a year’s worth of study and placements ahead in my future.
I’m in no position to even bethinkingabout dating, or doing anything but putting my head down and working for at least the next twelve months.
This feels like one of those sliding doors moments. In another time, if we were different people, maybe then I would ask his name, and he’d ask for mine. A world where I have the job of my dreams, running stables and taking care of horses all day, and I can buy a whole cart of groceries without checking my bank balance.
Instead, I’m standing here in the beating sun, as sweat trickles down my back and my thighs stick together. I’ve got nothing more than a declined card and a tank full of fuel thanks to the charity of a stranger.
All the while, God's favorite cowboy watches me from where he leans casually against his truck. A vehicle that’s probably worth more than my entire annual take home pay.
“I hope it didn’t ruin your visit to Crimson Ridge.” His hazel eyes are still fixed on me with a keen expression. Even though his gaze might be glued to my face, I can feel him taking in every inch of my appearance.
My body heats under his perceptive stare.
“How do you know I’m just visiting?” I tilt my head to one side. For some reason he’s still standing here talking to me in this grimy gas station, and I’m making no effort to move towardmy car. Not only that, but I can’t help but feel like he’s definitely, absolutely flirting with me a little.
